Total pages in book: 195
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 185573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 928(@200wpm)___ 742(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)
“It has nothing to do with them,” I say. “This is my choice. If I am who they think I am, I can’t spend the rest of my life avoiding it. And if I’m not, then I’m sure it will all be cleared up soon.”
Eden stares at me, her face blank, and I can’t tell what she’s thinking. But when she lets out a godawful shriek, it scares the living hell out of all of us.
“No!” she bellows. “I know what’s happening here. Do you think I’m fucking stupid?”
“What are you talking about?” I scoot closer to the door as Gypsy meets my gaze in the rearview mirror, a silent question in her eyes.
“You aren’t taking me to the fucking cops!” Eden screams. “It’s not happening.”
Her eyes are wild as they dart between the three of us, and I don’t know what to make of her strange behavior. Eden has always been a little paranoid, but this is a whole new level.
“Eden,” I reply as calmly as I can, hoping to bring her back down from her escalating panic. “We’re not taking you to the cops. I told you we can drop you anywhere you want in Vegas.”
A maniacal laugh bursts from her lips as she shakes her head violently. “You remembered. I fucking knew this would happen. And now you think you can just lie to me? You think I wouldn’t know? Like I haven’t been waiting for this day?”
I glance at Birdie, who’s turned in the passenger seat, her eyes wide with concern.
“Eden,” she interjects. “I don’t know what you think is happening here, but—”
“My name isn’t Eden,” she snarls as she turns her vicious gaze on Birdie. “But you already know that, don’t you? How much did she tell you?”
When Birdie doesn’t answer, it only seems to encourage Eden’s tirade.
“I was the one he wanted to be with.” Eden turns her attention back to me, her lip curled in a cruel smile. “He just couldn’t admit it to you.”
Her words leave a bitter taste in my mouth as I begin to understand that maybe she isn’t delusional after all.
“I was the one who did everything for him.” She jabs a finger into her chest. “Me. I fucked his brains out every day, and I waited on him hand and foot. I made him meals, and I took care of him. I got him blow. I let him fuck his whores. I even helped him dump the bodies when things went south. Do you think his precious fucking Bianca would do that shit? No. You never cared about him. And then you thought you could just come back in and wear his ring and live in his house while I was the one on my knees sucking his dick every goddamn day? I earned that shit. Not you!”
“Eden,” I croak out her name, repressing the urge to vomit as I shake my head. I don’t want to believe what she’s telling me. I don’t want to accept that this could possibly be true.
“My name is Bethany!” she roars as she launches herself on top of me, slamming my head against the window.
My vision swims, and the car swerves as Gypsy and Birdie yell at Eden to stop. I can’t see what’s going on as I try to shove her off me, and I’m so disoriented my limbs won’t cooperate.
“He. Was. Mine.” Eden punctuates every word with a fist to my face. “You ruined everything!”
“Stop!” Birdie screeches as the car skids to a halt, and a door opens.
I manage to get one solid smack in before Eden grabs my hair and slams my head back against the glass again. And then everything goes dark.
Chapter 66
Madden
—PAST—
Despite what Adam said about coming home after he finished work, he doesn’t show until half past five in the morning. And the only reason I know that is because I wake up to find him standing at the foot of my bed when Ranger starts going berserk on him.
When I sit up, I try to calm Ranger down as I take in Adam’s disheveled state. His shirt is torn, his hair is a mess, and he has scratch marks down his neck. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s sweating profusely, his eyes so dilated he looks fucking possessed.
“Dude, what the fuck?” I scrub a hand over my face, annoyed at my racing heart. “What are you doing?”
“I had to deal with Bethany.” He sniffs, rubbing his nose.
“What does that mean?” I eye the marks on his neck.
“We made up.” He paces a few steps closer, despite Ranger growling at him. “She’s fucking insane, but the sex is hot. Psychotic chicks will ride your dick better than anyone. But you probably already know that.”
“Are you on something?” I stare at him like he’s lost his damned mind. His eyes are as big as fucking plates, and he’s not blinking. It’s freaking me the fuck out.